The Rise and Fall of USBM
by Hectopascal
Summary: An attempt at a sequel for this wonderful manga; contains mentions of gore, slash, etc. The USBM have got to be stopped so what is there to do but head on a straight course for America!


**A/N: All right, this is my modest attempt at a sequel to the end of BioMass: Nectar, because it was so amazing it deserved a sequel. I think I saw another one of these, but it hasn't been updated for two years or something. Hmmm, I _have_ a beta for this, Birai, but I'm having some problems sending it to her. Ah well.**

**Disclaimer: I am indeed crazy, but not "think up a food source that turns around and eats you" kinda crazy.**

**Rated T: For the usual gore that comes with BM and if you can take the manga then you'll be fine. Also some _slash,_ in the form of Maaya/Shingo. If you don't like that then click the little green arrow at the top of your screen.**

XXXXXXXXXX

"OH MY GOD!" the cry rang through the air from the mouths of the American soldiers and drew people closer to see what the commotion was all about.

Everyone who had heard the original statement wore an expression of deep, profound horror. They crowded around the radio, hoping there would be some follow up announcement that proved the broadcast a cruel, inhumane jest.

The voice continued to crackle out of the black box, sinking dozens of hearts, "-the USBM production plant in Richmond is the first scheduled to begin operations in exactly five months. Never fear humanity, soon we will all be well fed once again courtesy of the eternal symbol of freedom, the United States of America!"

Maaya gagged, looking disgusted, when loud laughter emitted from the duo speakers.

Banba helpfully slapped him on the back, adding to the laughter when Maaya face-planted into the dirt.

Their antics were largely ignored as everyone opted to concentrate on the news rather than the former defense captain chasing his childhood friend in circles and cursing.

"Inspections will be underway in no more than three weeks -"

"Buu, you fat -"

"-safety is, of course, a top priority -"

"-uselessly strong, slow ass -"

"-and now a word from the Secretary of Defense."

Shingo's hand shot out to grab Maaya's arm as he ran past and flipped him to the ground, taking care to drop him without too much injury. He raised a finger to his lips in a silent admonishment, "Listen, this is important."

"Right," Maaya's smile faded, "sorry."

Shingo pulled him to his feet and, together, they turned to rejoin the growing throng around the radio.

XXXXXXXXXX

Maaya groaned, rolling over in bed and trying to ignore the light rapping on the downstairs front door. He justified his decision with the fact that if it had been an emergency, whoever was knocking would have been a lot less polite about it.

The noise stopped and he prepared to drop back into blissful sleep once more, only to be foiled as barely a minute later his shoulder was being gently shaken.

He cracked open his eyes; it was Shingo, he would have to wake up. He sat up yawning and saw his friend, blonde hair dulled by the shadows of the room, standing by the edge of his bed.

Maaya reached up to grab Shingo's shirt and yanked him down to sit on the bed.

"'At do ya need ta talk 'bout 'hingo?" Maaya said through a jaw cracking yawn.

A slim brow rose at the descent into a Kansai accent, "The USBM production."

"What about it sides it's the fourth catastrophe waitin' ta happen?"

"We have to stop it before it comes to that. The broadcast wasn't very specific but, if my suspicions are correct, the Americans are using a single mass USBM at multiple locations, then we are working in a limited time zone."

"Why's that?" Fully awake now, Maaya had slipped out of his childhood speaking habit without notice.

"They must be taking the same precautions to contain it as they did at the hotel. It means the clock is ticking until it manages to evolve enough to release spores into the air. From there it'll spread from the scientists to their families. If they have children, it'll spread through the schools and to more families and so on and so forth. The whole country will fall in less than a month once it starts if my calculations are accurate."

"You know you always are Shin," Maaya scratched his head and tossed a blanket at Shingo who was staring blankly at a wall, plainly deep in thought, "How can you be sure that it hasn't already put off spores?"

"Safety checks they said," Shingo muttered, pulling the blanket around him in a subconscious gesture, "What they had the second time it happened was the only fully functional specimen. They weren't ready to start duplicating it yet, but it was supposed to be a step toward standing on equal grounds with the Japanese. The Americans should only have the prototypes in enzyme form available, and it'll take some time for them to grow to the same state as the one we saw," he looked at Maaya, "that's why they said they were conducting safety checks; to give them enough time to complete the containment areas, which we know are faulty, for the larger specimen."

Maaya was disgusted by the actions of ignorant greedy people in power but pushed it back to remain practical as ever, "How long do we have?"

Shingo shook his head, "I'm not sure. Two months at least, definitely less than four. Could be a good deal less if they started work a significant amount of time before releasing the news to the media. Or some reporter could have found the information without their knowledge, or a hundred other things. There are too many undefined variables, I can't –"

"It's alright, man. Don't freak out," Maaya stopped the tirade with a well timed hug.

Shingo blinked at him slowly, "I'm sorry?"

"Your genius brain was overloading. Don't panic, we can stop this."

"Like how I stopped the outbreak in the South," he laughed without mirth, "or how my father stopped the spread when we were in elementary school?"

"No," Maaya replied after a short pause, where he remembered the dawning horror when they realized they had missed a paltry few BM, the loneliness when they separated, and his mother's brave final moments, "This time, this time isn't going to be like that. It isn't us trying to survive in the middle of a crisis, we'll have a plan and preparations, and –"

"You have a plan?"

"Nah, that's more your department brainiac. Now go to sleep, I'm tired and gotta work in the morning."

This show of faith helped Shingo pull himself back to an almost normal state, "Technically, it is the morning."

"Aw man, keep that kinda shit to yourself. Sleep now. Morning later," and he burrowed himself back into the mattress, dragging Shingo and the blanket with him.

"Am I staying here tonight?" Shingo sounded mildly surprised as if he hadn't seen this development coming.

"'Course you are. You never had a sleepover before?" Maaya mumbled sleepily.

"No."

"Well yer havin' one now," Maaya dropped his head onto a pillow and closed his eyes, "we'll figure everythan' out in the mornin' so donna worry," and he promptly fell asleep.

Shingo stayed awake for some time after that, watching Maaya sleep and turning thousands of possible ideas over in his mind. He made a silent promise right then to the sleeping man next to him, he would keep all five of them alive; no more sacrifices.

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**A/N: Reviews are love, spread some! Till next chapter; look forward to…**

Maaya stared at Shingo like he'd suddenly sprouted a BM for a head, "You say_ what_, now?"

"You heard me. I think we can do it."

"This is," Maaya groped for a suitable word, "insane," he figured simple would best get his point across. "Give me one good reason."


End file.
